Today it is raining here in sunny California, and so I thought I would write a few words.

tears can wash away the dust
from traversing life's weary road

just as the rain cleanses and
washes the dust from the earth

where it is carried to the ocean to be
recycled and reused
to form mountains in some distant millenium

Rain keeps things moving
preventing stagnation and drought

just as tears can move us through grief and anger
and onto something new and beautiful in our lives

All things are fleeting in this world
yet bonds of love
remain
forever
etched into the soul

playing a melody
of union and separation
that
like an elastic band
stretch
and
grow our love

What if....
You were held in the arms of God,
lovingly cared for
all you basic needs were provided.
There was no worry or strain.
People, circumstances, tools, knowledge,
appeared in your life just as you needed them.
Along with unlimited opportunities to serve others, serve God, and reciprocate the generosity that was shown to you.

The reality is....
This is a fact.
We just haven't opened our arms and our hearts to embrace it.
We don't have the faith that when we are falling there will be support.

Back in the late 70s before meeting the devotees I had adopted a vegan diet out of ethical considerations. It just seemed like the right thing to do if one was serious about the treatment of animals. I had also recently spent some time working on a farm where I was appalled at what I saw. In London I lived with several families of vegans and worked in their vegan cafe. The food was great! It was inspired by its own type of bhakti.